by iakul

Created on: August 05, 2008

Blogs have been gaining in popularity and have taken the Internet by storm over a remarkably short period of time. If you are one of those who don't have one yet and are deciding whether to jump on the blog bandwagon, this list of the pros and cons of blogging might help you decide.

Pros

1.You now have a means of keeping in touch with your friends and family. Suppose your spouse has been posted overseas to work or you will be spending your next three years overseas studying. Blogs can be a wonderful way to update your friends and family about how you're doing. No need to work out time zone differences for phone calls or MSN, and no need to mass send an e-mail for a general update on your life. Just post on your blog and those who care about you can know how you are getting on.

2.You are able to practice your writing and develop your creativity skills. Like they say, "practice makes perfect". The more you blog, the more you'll find it easier to type/write. While blogging alone will not turn you into a great writer, it certainly helps to improve your writing.

3.You get to find other people with similar interests and/or background as you. Or rather, they find you. If you're an avid chess player, and you talk about chess in your blog entries quite frequently, you'll find that every now and then, some guy who's browsing random blogs has happened across your blog and left a comment. Some of them do come back to check their comments and you'll find that you can meet quite a few people with the same interests as you in this manner.

4.You get to make some money. Although, to be realistic, unless you are in the top strata of bloggers, you won't be expecting to make a lot. So, don't expect to quit your job two days after you start a blog. Still, it'll provide you with some cash.

Cons

1.A blog requires work and commitment. You'll need to write often. Even friends and family will stop dropping by your blog if the last entry was more than a year ago.

2.Anyone, and I emphasize anyone, can access and read your blog. It's so easy to succumb to the urge to rant about how your boss is such a low-life and how much you dislike your neighbor. Don't. People have been fired from their jobs for something they have posted in their blogs before. And things could get really ugly if you post things you would never say to another person's face on your blog. You may think they won't read your blog. But trust me, eventually they will.

3.Loss of privacy and security risks. Here, I would like to relate a true story which happened to the friend of someone I know. This woman posted that she was going on a weekend camping trip with her family. She returned from her trip to find that her e-mail had been filled with Paypal notifications. She checked her blog and found that someone had posted an entry that she and her eldest daughter had been involved in a fatal accident and asked that people who wanted to send money for flowers do it through her Paypal. To put it mildly, she was really upset about it. Information you post, like when you'll be away, can be used by people. Be careful what you post. And do not think that just because you're not blogging for money it means that it's alright to share your password or to use an easy to guess password. You might not suffer financially, but you'll still be subjected to emotional stress should your security be compromised.

In conclusion, if you have or know that you are going to have circumstances that separate you physically from your loved ones, seriously consider starting a blog to keep in touch. Or if you have some specialized interest but don't really know people who do, start a blog. But do be careful with what you post and to take all the necessary steps to protect your password.

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